(a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to rodenticidal compositions containing an anticoagulant agent and certain surface active agents.
(b) Information Disclosure Statement
The combination of anticoagulants, including anticoagulants conventionally used as rodenticides, with various surface active agents is known. However, in all known prior disclosures of such combinations, either the rationale for the combination is not revealed or the surfactant is indicated to be employed, for example, as a means of achieving improved wetting of bait with an aqueous solution of the particular rodenticidal agent, or as a conditioner or softening agent, or for the purpose of preventing agglomeration of the rodenticide. Furthermore the concept of combining an ionic fluorosurfactant with rodenticides of the anticoagulant type for the purpose of improving the rodenticidal properties thereof does not appear to be known or suggested by the prior art.
Thus Link U.S. Pat. No. 2,687,365 discloses the use of warfarin-treated cereal grain to which has been added other ingredients such as a polyhydric alcohol fatty acid "conditioner or softening agent", for example glyceryl oleo stearate.
Lapham et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,544,677 discloses the use of anticoagulant halopyridinols as rodenticides which may be incorporated with "one or more of a plurality of additaments or innocuous ingestible adjuvants", including "surface active dispersing agents such as the liquid and solid emulsifying agents".
Engel et al. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,546,338 and 3,574,832 disclose the combination of a solid dispersing agent, such as an anionic, cationic or nonionic dispersing agent, with heparin as an aid in improving the absorption of heparin through the alimentary canal.
Saggers et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,676,545 discloses benzimidazole-containing rodenticidal compositions which it is stated can optionally contain a surface active agent to prevent agglomeration of the rodenticide powder.
O'Doherty U.S. Pat. No. 3,941,882 discloses imidazo-pyridine-containing rodenticidal compositions which can be combined with a "surface active dispersing agent". The latter, however, is neither exemplified nor is its purpose revealed.
Lechevin U.S. Pat. No. 4,178,388 discloses chlorophacinone containing rodenticidal compositions which may contain an "emulsifier", such as a "soluble metallic sulfonate or a polyoxyethylene ether". The emulsifier is not exemplified nor is its purpose revealed.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 75-52244 discloses a warfarin-treated rodenticidal bait which can optionally include an anionic surfactant. The purpose of the surfactant is to provide "high wetting power" so as to "promote permeation" of the warfarin throughout the grain bait.
South African Patent No. 68/4234 discloses slow release compositions of a variety of active ingredients, including warfarin sodium, from a water-in-oil emulsion which may contain a surfactant such as Arlacel, a non-ionic surfactant.